Arms Ring Broken Up

The World - In Brief

August 31, 2002

BERLIN -- German investigators said Friday that authorities have broken up an illegal arms-dealing operation sending weapons from eastern Europe to the Middle East. Three people were detained. The customs authority in Cologne said officials raided several buildings in southwestern Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic on Tuesday. The two main suspects -- a Canadian of Russian origin who was living illegally in Germany and the chief of a Czech-based trading company -- are accused of arranging trades of weapons including anti-tank missiles, hand grenades and Kalashnikov rifles, according to a statement from the customs authority.